Hand brake mechanism



Feb. 16, 1965- J. KUCHAR 3,169,411

HAND BRAKE MECHANISM Filed June 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1965 J. KUCHAR 3,169,411

HAND BRAKE MECHANISM Filed June 13, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 16, 1965 J. KUCHAR HAND BRAKE uscmmxsm 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 13, 1962 32 Jbsgvhllaclcay r: 1:"; gwiw, M W74 United States Patent s is; an is an HANlSM My present invention relates generally to hand brakes for ra lway cars and more particularly to the operating or control mechanism therefor.

Specifically, the invention is concerned with a manually operated brake mechanism of the non-spin type. In the older forms of hand brakes, release thereof required a slight rotation of the hand wheel in a winding or brake setting direction to permit release of the holding pawl, after which the hand wheel was allowed to spin to release the brakes. This arrangement was a frequent source of injury to the brakeman and solutions of the problem took the form of the so-called non-spin hand brake in which no or a very slight movement of the handwheel was necessary to effect release.

Generally speaking, non-spin brakes are divided into two classes, viz., one in which the pinion and gear are always in mesh and spinning of the handwheel was prevented by some form of clutch, while the other included a means for relatively moving the pinion and gear out of mesh. The former constitutes a 'costly structure and considerable difficulty was encountered with the latter in overcoming the friction between the pinion and gear teeth due to the pull of the set brakes.

It is therefore the principal object of my present invention to provide a non-spin hand brake wherein the brakes are released by moving the pinion out of mesh with the gear through a compound leverage action that materially lessens the efiort required for this separation.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a mechanism of the character indicated wherein the compound leverage is effected by the coaction of an eccentric with one end of a lever pinion carrier.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and utilizing devices in accordance with the principles of my present invention, I shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of my improved mechanism, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 1 in FIGURE 2, with the hand wheel being omitted and with the forward wall of the housing being broken away to show the pinion carrier assembly which is positioned for the winding operation of the mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a "ertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1, looking-in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the carrier assembly pivoted upwardly to a position disengaging the pinion from the gear to permit the unwinding operation of the mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line 5-4 in FIGURE 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line 5-5 in FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line 6-4? in FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, the numeral 10 designates the usual brake chain whose ends are respectively connected in the usual manner to the braking systern of a railway car (not shown) and to a pin 11 that is 3,lfi,dll Patented Feb. M5, 1955 "ice mounted in and extends laterally from the reinforced web of a spur gear 12. The gear 12 is journaled on a shaft 12% whose ends are respectively supported in the front and rear walls 14 and 15 of an enclosing housing 16; the wall 15 includes a plurality of apertured lugs 17 for receiving bolts to secure the housing 16 to the end wall of the car body 18. Also jo-urnaled on the shaft 13 is a winding drum 19 whose periphery is appropriately grooved to receive alternate links of the brake chain 10 during the winding operation as hereinafter described.

In the winding position shown in FIGURES 1 and .2, the gear 12 meshes with a pinion 2.8 that may be integrally formed with an operating shaft 21 which extends outwardly of the housing 16 through a vertically elongated opening 22 provided in the front wall 14. The outer end of the shaft 21 has secured thereto a vertical hand wheel 23, and, within the housing to, the shaft 21 is journaled in a pair of laterally spaced, identical plates 24. To prevent foreign material from entering the opening 22, an annular pinion seal 21a is disposed about the operating shaft 21 intermediate of the front housing wall 14 and the forward plate 24. In the arrangement shown, each plate Ed is generally pentagonal in shape although the latter is not of the essence. The plates 24 are secured together to form a rigid assembly by means of a plurality of appropriately located rivets 25, three in number being shown, with each rivet being bridged between the plates 24 and enclosed therebetween by a sleeve 26 to maintain the spacing of the plates 24. Fora purpose to be presently explained, one of the rivets 25 is positioned generally above the shaft 21.

The plates 24 and the immediately associated parts, including the shaft 21, rivets 2S and sleeves 2 d, constitute a pinion carrier assembly which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 27. The assembly 27 is journaled on a sleeve 28 (see FIGURE 6) for vertical rocking or pivotal movement toward and away from the gear I12. The sleeve 28 extends transversely through the plates 24 and is supported on a machine screw 2% whose ends respectively bridge the front and rear housing walls 14 and 15. or pivotal movement toward and away from the gear 12. The sleeve 28 extends transversely through the plates 24 and is supported on a machine screw 29 whose ends respectivly bridge the front and rear housing walls 14 and 15. As shown in FIGURE 1, the screw 2? is located to the right of the vertical center line of the shaft 21 and, with respect to the assembly 27, is positioned at the right end thereof.

At the left end of the carrier assembly 27, each plate 24 is formed with an open end slot 36; the slots 3% being in registration with each other. Operably related to the walls of the slots 3% are spaced, eccentric cams 31 (see FIGURES l, 4 and 5) which have lobe portions 32 and which may be integrally formed with a release shaft 33. The ends of the shaft 33 are respectively journaled in the front and rear housing walls 14 and 15, and the left end of the shaft 33, as viewed in FIGURE 5, extends outwardly of the wall 14 and has secured thereon a release handle 34. Forwardly projecting horizontal stop pins 35 and 36, which may be integrally formed with the front housing wall 14, are provided for limiting pivotal movement of the lever 34 and for facilitating quick location of the latter in either one of its two operative positions.

Also carried by the operating shaft 21, or integrally formed therewith as desired, is a ratchet wheel 37 which is constantly engaged by a pawl 38 that is journaled on the spacer sleeve 26 which lies above the shaft 21 (see FIGURES l and 2). The pawl 33 is weighted at 39 to constantly gravity bias the same in engagement with the ratchet wheel 37. From the foregoing, it will be untooth engagement.

derstood that the pinion 2i and ratchet wheel 37 are rigidly related with respect to each other by. reason of While I have shown described what I consider to be a preferred embodiment of my present invention, it

their being integral with the shaft 21 and hence rotate 7 together whenever the shaft 21 is rotated and also simultaneously move upward and downward whenever, the

carrier assemblyZTis pivoted. v

When the parts occupy the several positionsshown in FIGURE ;1, the mechanism is conditioned forwinding to set the brakes. In particular, the release handle 34 occupies a position in abutment With thestop pin 35,

and serves to locate the eccentric cam lobes 32 in their downward positions. .To prevent movement of the release handle 34 due to impact and to maximize the servarrangedto lie out of coincidence with the vertical plane passingthroughthe aXis of the cams 31, on the same sideof this plane as thepivot sleeve 28 of the pinion carrierassembly 27, rent the plane.

Concurrentlyjthe carrier assembly Z' i is located in its lower position wherein the pinion 20 meshes with I the gear 12. The hand wheel 23 may then be rotated to wind the chain It? around the drum" l9'to set the brakes. During this operation, the pawl 38 wipes over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 37 and prevents unwinding of the chain it while the brakeman shifts his grip on the hand wheel 23. To release the brakes, the handle 34 is swung to the position shown in FIG. 3, in abutment with the stop pin 36, to thereby rotate the cam lobes 32 to the upward position indicated in the same figure. This action rocks ion 2'9 from the gear 12 to permit the drum 19 to unwind without spinning of the hand Wheel 23. During the lifting movement of the carrier assembly 27, rotation of the gear 12 is additionally prevented by the interaction of the ratchetfwheel 3'7 and pawl 38 until the pinion and gear teethare entirely free, of each other."

Upward movement of the operatingrshaft 21 is permitted by the elongated opening 22 in the housing Iront wall 14. 1 An important feature of the invention is the mechaniand at an angle A, preferably of ice life ofrthe release mechanism,the high points of the cam lobes 32 in the operative position shown are '15 e the carrier assembly 27'upwardly and separates the pincal advantage aiforded by the coaction, of the release" handle 34 and earns 31 with the carrier assembly 2'? in overcoming the friction between the teethof-the pinion and gear. When the brakes are fully set, this friction is of a high order and considerable difiiculty has been encountered with preceding devices in solving this probv lem except with expensive designs;

7 in the structure shown, an economicaland mechanh' caliy feasible solution has been'provided by, employing the eccentric cams 31. The second lever inthe mechanism is composed of the relatively short arms provided bythe cam lobes 32 and the relatively longerarm provided by the release handle 34- with the fulcrum furnished by the release shaft 33 that is journaled in the housing 16.1 The cumulative action of these levers provides a highly effective and structurally simple means for overcoming tooth friction as the pinion is drawn away-from the gear.

' v To condition the mechanism for brake setting, the release handle 34 is swung back to the position shown in FIGURE 1, in abutment with the stop pin 35, which remeshes the pinion 20 with the gear 12. Slight rota.

tion of the handwheei 23 may be necessary to secure a fromthe spirit and scope will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements maybe made therein without'departing of my invention.

I claim:

1. Hand brake mechanism comprising a winding drum,

a gearhaving means for windinga brake'chainaround said drum when said gear is rotated, a carrier assembly-inc'luding a pair of spaced plates secured together and'pivoted at adjacent ends thereof for rocking as a unit,

an operating shaft bridged between and. journaled in said plates, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with'and operable to rotate said gear: in a winding direction, and .means coactingwith the ends of said plates remote from the pivot thereof to roc'k'said assembly anddisengage said pinion .frornsaid gear to perm' unwinding of said 7 drum. 7 V i 2. For use in a pair of spaced plates secured together and pivoted at adjacent ends. thereof for rocking as a unit, an operatingshaft bridged between and journaled in said plates, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate said gear inone direction, and lever -means coacting with the endsf of said plates remote from the .pivot thereof for rocking said assembly to disengage said pinion from said gear whereby to permit rotation of the latter in the other direction.

3. For use in a hand brake mechanism having a housing, a winding drum, and a gear having means for 'wind ing a brake chain around the rum when the gear is rotated, the combination of a pinion carrier assembly including a pair of spaced plates secured together and pivoted at adjacent ends thereof within and on the housing for rocking as aunit, the ends of said plates remote from the pivot including registering slots, and operating shaft ridged between and iournaled in said plates and is extending outwardly of the housing for association with.

a handwheel, a pinionsecnred to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate thegear in a winding direction,

and cam means' journaled in the housing and rotatably.

engageable with the walls of said slots to rock said assembly in a direction disengaging said pinion from'the gear.

"4. For use in a handbrake mechanism, the combination of a rotatable gear, a carrier assembly including a pair of spaced plates secured together and pivoted at adjacent ends thereof for rocking as a unit, an operat ing shaft bridged between and journaled in saidplates, a pinion securedto said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate saidgear in one direction, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, a pawl biased to a position engaging sai d ratchet wheel to prevent rotation of said; gear in the other direction while said pinion and gear are in mesh, and means coacting with the ends of said plates remote from the pivot thereof to rock said assembly and disengage said pinion from saidgear whereby to per-- 'mit rotation of the latter in the other direction. i 5. Hand brake mechanism comprises a housing, a wind- I ing drum, a gear having means for winding a brake chain around said-drum when said gear is rotated, a carrier assembly including a pair ofspaced plates secured together and pivoted at adjacent ends thereof within and on "said housing for rocking as, a unit, the ends of said plates'remote from the pivot including registering slots, an operating shaft bridged; between and journaled in said plates and extending outwardly of said housing, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate said gear in a winding direction, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, a pawl biased to a position engaging said I ratchet wheel to prevent an unwinding rotation of said gear while said pinion and, gear are in'rnesh, and cam means journaledin said housing and rotatably engageable with thewalls of said slots for rocking said assembly a hand brakemechanism, the combina tion of a rotatable gear, a carrier assembly including 5. in a direction disengaging said pinion from said gear.

6. For use in a hand brake mechanism having a housing, a winding drum, and a gear having means for winding a brake chain around the drum when the gear is rotated, the combination of a pinion carrier assembly including a pair of spaced vertical plates secured together and pivoted at adjacent ends thereof Within and on the housing for rocking as a unit about a horizontal axis, the ends of said plates remote from the pivot including registering slots, a horizontal opera-"ting shaft bridged between and journaled in said plates and extending outwardly of the housing, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate the gear in a winding direction, cam means journaled in the housing about a horizontal axis and engageable with the walls of said slots, said cam means having lobes extending downwardly in one operafive position with the high points lying out of coincidence with the vertical plane passing through the axis of said cam means on the same side of the plane as the pivot of said plates, and means for rotating said cam means to a second operative position whereupon engagement of said cam lobes with said slots serves to rock said assembly in a direction disengaging said pinion from the gear.

'7. For use in a hand brake mechanism having a housing, a winding drum, and a gear having means for winding a brake chain around the drum when the gear is rotated, the combination of a pinion carrier assembly including a pair of spaced vertical plates secured together and pivoted at adjacent ends thereof within and on the housing for rocking as a unit about a horizontal axis, the ends of said plates remote from the pivot including registering slots, a horizontal operating shaft bridged between and journaled in said plates and extending outwardly of the housing, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate the gear in a winding direction, cam means journaled in the housing about a horizontal axis and engageable with the walls of said slots, a release handle for rotating said cam means between two operative positions, said cam means having lobes extending downwardly in one operative position with the high points lying out of coincidence with the vertical plane passing through the axis of said cam means on the same side of the plane as the pivot of said plates, said cam means upon rotation to its second operative position serving to rock said assembly in a direction disengaging said pinion from the gear, and stop means associated with said release handle and serving to locate the latter in two positions corresponding to the two operative positions of said cam means.

8. For use in a hand brake mechanism, the combination of a rotatable gear, a carrier assembly pivoted at one end for rocking movement, an operating shaft journalled in said carrier assembly, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate said gear in one direction, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, a pawl biased to a position engaging said ratchet wheel to prevent rotation of said gear in the other direction while said pinion and gear are in mesh, and means coacting with the end of said carrier assembly remote from the pivot thereof to reel; said assembly and disengage said pinion from said gear whereby to permit rotation of the latter in the other direction.

9. For use in a hand brake mechanism having a hous ing, a winding drum, and a gear having means for winding a brake chain around the drum when the gear is rotated, the combination of a pinion carrier assembly including at least one vertical plate pivoted at one end thereof within and on the housing for rocking movement about a horizontal axis, the end of said plate remote from the pivot including a slot, a horizontal operating shaft journalled in said carrier assembly and extending outwardly of the housing, a pinion secured to said shaft in mesh with and operable to rotate the gear in a Winding direction, cam means in the housing journalled about a horizontal axis and engageable with the Walls of said slot, said cam means having at least one lobe extending downwardly in one operative position with the high point lying out of coincidence with the vertical plane passing through the axis of said cam means on the same side of the plane as the pivot of said plate, and means for rotating said cam means whereby to move the high point of said cam lobe through the said vertical plane to a second operative position on the opposite side of the plane as the pivot of said plate whereupon engagement of said cam lobe with said slot serves to rock said assembly in a direction disengaging said pinion from the gear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 260,307 6/82 Maxon 74405 XR 484,358 10/92. Flohr 74-405 1,485,231 2/24 Leftwich et a1 74-405 1,925,240 9733 Fuchs 74505 2,586,969 2/52 Marquardt et al. 74--505 2,804,781 9/57 Zietz 74-405 XR BROUGHT ON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. HAND BRAKE MECHANISM COMPRISING A WINDING DRUM, A GEAR HAVING MEANS FOR WINDING A BRAKE CHAIN AROUND SAID DRUM WHEN SAID GEAR IS ROTATED, A CARRIER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED PLATES SECURED TOGETHER AND PIVOTED AT ADJACENT ENDS THEREOF FOR ROCKING AS A UNIT, AN OPERATING SHAFT BRIDGED BETWEEN AND JOURNALED IN SAID PLATES, A PINION SECURED TO SAID SHAFT IN MESH WITH AND OPERABLETO ROTATE SAID GEAR IN A WINDING DIRECTION, AND MEANS COACTING WITH THE ENDS OF SAID PLATES REMOTE FROM THE PIVOT THEREOF TO ROCK SAID ASSEMBLY AND DISENGAGE SAID PINION FROM SAID GEAR TO PERMIT UNDWINDING OF SAID DRUM. 